NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2017 News reviews 2017 World Rowing Award winners revealed The first World Rowing Indoor Championships announced Azou and Janssen head World Rowing’s top 10 list for 2017 A French man and a Dutch woman have taken the top spots in World Rowing’s Top 10 rowers for 2017. Jeremie Azou is the top male and Inge Janssen the top female in a list that includes new rowers who have taken over in the sport following a number of post- Olympic retirements. The indoor rowing appeal and British Rowing Rowers have long embraced – or rather endured – a close relationship to this most intense of exercise machines. But indoor rowing machines are no longer just for rowers cross training. New research from British Rowing reveals that on average there are three indoor rowing machines at every gym across Great Britain and concrete steps are being taken to increase that number. How South Africa is making their boats go faster The simple aim of a rowing coaching is to make boats go faster and South Africa’s national squad programme is certainly picking up speed. At the Olympic level, the first South African boat to compete was the men’s eight in Barcelona in 1992. Twelve years later in Athens, South Africa won its first medal, bronze in the men’s pair. London 2012 saw South Africa win its first gold, in the men’s lightweight four. This success was built on in Rio, with five boats qualifying, all making finals and the men’s pair winning silver. World Rowing’s 2017 Coaches Conference on 7-8 December in London, focused on the theme of using technology and data to make boats go faster. In South Africa traditional training methods are used to help synthesize data and analysis to deliver success. Athletes Rising Star Caileigh FILMER CAN Athlete of the month Jeannine GMELIN SUI Videos National Federation Conference 2017 World Rowing Para Conference Presentations NEWSLETTER – NOVEMBER 2017 News reviews Moments that helped define rowing – FISA 125th As World Rowing celebrates 125 years since its founding throughout 2017, we look this month at five of our sport’s defining moments. Of course, there are many, many moments that have helped define our sport, so this is a taste of what has helped make international rowing what it is today. Finalists for 2017 World Rowing Awards announced What makes a champion - deliberate practice or innate talent What differentiates an average athlete from a high- performing and exceptionally successful one? Gender equality achieved at World University Rowing Championships In 2018, World University Rowing Championships will take place for the first time outside of Europe and will also for the first time be gender-equal. Taking indoor rowing out of this world Going into space is tough work. For astronauts, physical fitness is central to their well-being both on earth before departure and while they are in space. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are testing a state-of-the-art rowing machine to help keep them in top shape. Athletes Rising Star Cosmin PASCARI ROU Athlete of the month Matteo LODO ITA Videos The best of the drone at the 2017 world rowing champs Para-rowers take to the water at the World Champs Events 2017 World Rowing Coaches Conference 7 - 8 Dec 2017 / London 2017 World Rowing Awards 8 - 8 Dec 2017 / London WorldRowing.com - Media Release of 13 November 2017 MEDIA RELEASE FINALISTS FOR 2017 WORLD ROWING AWARDS ANNOUNCED For immediate release - Lausanne, 13 November 2017 Success at this year’s World Rowing Championships in the United States and success throughout the season helped determine the finalists for the 2017 World Rowing Awards. Public nomination drew over 1000 submissions for this year’s awards. The public nominations then went to the World Rowing Federation’s Council to select the finalists. The finalists demonstrate a wide mix of nations. Finalists for the 2017 World Rowing Female Crew of the Year • Asja Maregotto, Paola Piazzolla, Federica Cesarini, Giovanna Schettino, Italy, Lightweight Women’s Quadruple Sculls • Milda Valciukaite, Ieva Adomaviciute, Lithuania, Women’s Double Sculls • Olivia van Rooijen, Inge Janssen, Sophie Souwer, Nicole Beukers, Netherlands, Women’s Quadruple Sculls • Ioana Vrinceanu, Viviana-Iuliana Bejinariu, Mihaela Petrila, Iuliana Popa, Madalina Beres, Denisa Tilvescu, Adelina Bogus, Laura Oprea, Daniela Druncea (coxswain), Romania, Women’s Eight • Kirsten McCann, South Africa, Lightweight Women’s Single Sculls • Jeannine Gmelin, Switzerland, Women’s Single Sculls Finalists for 2017 World Rowing Male Crew of the Year • Joshua Hicks, Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves, Alexander Hill, Australia, Men’s Four • Ondrej Synek, Czech Republic, Men’s Single Sculls • Pierre Houin, Jeremie Azou, France, Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls • Johannes Weissenfeld, Felix Wimberger, Maximilian Planer, Torben Johannesen, Jakob Schneider, Malte Jakschik, Richard Schmidt, Hannes Ocik, Martin Sauer (coxswain), Germany, Men’s Eight • Matteo Lodo, Giuseppe Vicino, Italy, Men’s Pair Finalists for 2017 World Rowing Para Crew of the Year • Erik Horrie, Australia, Para PR1 Men’s Single Sculls • Diana Barcelos de Oliveira, Jairo Klug, Brazil, Para PR3 Mixed Double Sculls • Annika van der Meer, Corne de Koning, Netherlands, Para PR2 Mixed Double Sculls • Birgit Skarstein, Norway, Para PR1 Women’s Single Sculls Finalists for 2017 Coach of the Year • Alexis Besancon, France • Dominic Casey, Ireland • Francesco Cattaneo, Italy • Josy Verdonkschot, Netherlands • Antonio Colamonici, Romania Finalists for 2017 World Rowing Distinguished Services to International Rowing • John Boultbee, Australia • Morten Espersen, Denmark • Juergen Grobler, Great Britain • Dominic Casey, Ireland • Nicholas Ee, Singapore The award winners will be announced on Friday 8 December 2017. The winners will then be honoured that same day at a gala dinner during the 2017 World Rowing Coaches Conference in London, Great Britain. WorldRowing.com - Media Release of 1 November 2017 MEDIA RELEASE CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR ROWING’S MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARD: 2018 THOMAS KELLER MEDAL For immediate release - Lausanne, 1 November 2017 The World Rowing Federation, FISA, has opened the nomination process for the 2018 Thomas Keller Medal to the general public. The Thomas Keller Medal is the highest distinction in the sport of rowing. It is awarded to recognise an exceptional international rowing career as well as exemplary sportsmanship and legendary aspect. The public is able to submit nominations until 4 December 2017 (midday CET). The award was named after the late President of FISA, Thomas Keller (Thomi). Born in 1924, Keller was elected President of FISA in 1958 as a 34-year-old and was then the youngest-ever president of an international sports federation. Following the 1988 Olympic Games, Thomi Keller spontaneously awarded the FISA Medal of Honour to single scullers Peter-Michael Kolbe (Germany) and Pertti Karppinen (Finland) to commemorate one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport, thereby recognising their exceptional talent and sportsmanship. This shaped the idea of the Thomas Keller Medal which was initiated by the Keller family following Thomi's passing in 1989 and was first awarded to the great Norwegian rower Alf Hansen in 1990. Each year the winner is carefully selected by the Thomas Keller Medal committee which includes Keller's son Dominik. It follows a broad international nomination process including public nominations. The aim is to ensure that the true values in which Keller so strongly believed are represented. To be awarded the Thomas Keller Medal the following five factors are taken into consideration: 1. Success at the international level 2. "Type" of career 3. Technical mastery of the sport 4. Sportsmanship 5. "Legendary" aspect For 2017 the Thomas Keller Medal was awarded to Katherine Grainger of Great Britain. Grainger is Great Britain’s most decorated female Olympian with five Olympic medals in four boat classes. These medals showed Grainger’s all-round brilliance in the sport and included gold from the London 2012 Olympic Games. Grainger who, gained a PhD in law while rowing, also earned eight medals from the World Championships. Previous winners include Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (New Zealand), Eskild Ebbesen (Denmark), Vaclav Chalupa (Czech Republic), Iztok Cop (Slovenia), James Tomkins (Australia), Kathrin Boron (Germany), Elisabeta Lipa (Romania) and Steve Redgrave (Great Britain). To nominate and to view the full list of winners, please click here. The award will be presented on Saturday 14 July 2018 during World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland. WorldRowing.com - Newsletter NEWSLETTER News reviews Twenty-nine nations win medals at 2017 World Rowing Championships FISA Congress votes for gender equality across all World Championship events 125 years of FISA: Advances in technology As the World Rowing Federation (FISA) continues to celebrate the 125th anniversary of its founding in 1892, we look back this month on a few of the many technological innovations that have created the modern sport of rowing. Is synchronicity the best way to move a boat? While synchronisation in rowing seems to make perfect sense when looking for maximum boat speed, not everyone has always agreed with this standard wisdom. Crashes, buoys and navigation for World Rowing coastal championship finals It was all about crashes, navigation and technical proficiency on the 6km course for the finals at the 2017 World Rowing Coastal Championships in Thonon, France. The conditions were great with sunshine and a very light breeze on Lake Geneva as rowers navigated around buoys and the odd ferry. Athletes Rising Star Anna THORNTON GBR Athlete of the month Jingli DUAN CHN Videos Rowers - muscly all around - shoulders and arms Timelapse from the venue - morning at the 2017 World Rowing Championships Events 2017 World Rowing Coaches Conference 7 - 8 Dec 2017 / London 2017 World Rowing Awards 8 - 8 Dec 2017 / London WorldRowing.com - Media Release of 9 October 2017 MEDIA RELEASE 2017 WORLD ROWING AWARDS PUBLIC NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN For immediate release Lausanne, 9 October 2017 The World Rowing Federation, FISA, has opened public nominations for the 2017 World Rowing Awards.